Bexley Public Library is closed on Tuesday, October 22nd due to a power outage
When Bexley Public Library opened, the student newspaper, The Torch, reported that “the people of Bexley rejoiced to see a long-felt want supplied by the founding of a public library.” While this may seem like exaggeration, no library had been available to Bexley residents since its founding in 1908. Even though Columbus Public Library was nearby, a Bexley resident could only obtain a card with the co-signature of a Columbus property owner. Bexley eventually had a path forward to its own library with a new Ohio law in 1921 that allowed school districts to found public libraries. When the Bexley Board of Education founded Bexley Public Library in 1924, residents of the Village of Bexley, along with students and staff in Bexley schools and Capital University, finally attained free and open library access.
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From the start Bexley Public Library served the Village of Bexley and its public schools. The first librarian, Lillian Sabin (1924-1925) was a teacher in the high school and, “under her skillful hands a library grew as if by magic.” (The Torch, 30 October 1925) Branch libraries were maintained in each of the public-school buildings until 1971.
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Once the library opened, it was a challenge to keep up with Bexley’s rapidly growing population. By 1927 the number of borrowers had increased by 59%, and voters approved a $68,000 bond issue for the construction of a new library building. Capital University offered to lease the land on Main Street for free for 30 years, recognizing the library’s importance to its students. In 1929 Bexley Public Library opened its bronze door to the new building.
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The library became even more popular once it moved into its new home. According to Library Director Sarah Bilby’s report in 1927, the Bexley circulation per capita was 6.8 books, while the average small library was 5. The library was originally designed to hold 20,000 items, but the collection had grown more than twice that to 53,806 volumes by the time voters approved a $60,000 bond issue in 1945 for a new addition. The construction was delayed several years due to the war and shortage of building materials and labor, and costs increased, which led to a second bond issue for $50,000. During the delay, the staff installed temporary wooden shelving to support the growing collection. The addition was completed in 1950.
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In 1950, BPL started circulating its first audiovisual materials: 16mm educational films. In just two years the budget for audiovisuals exceeded the amount for books.
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In 1956, Mary Teeter Zimmerman became the new library director. It was under her leadership that the library truly transformed in a variety of ways. During her tenure she added new programs like Family Film Nights, Children’s Summer Book Club, and educational lectures for adults. Zimmerman also oversaw a building renovation and expansion that allowed BPL to offer more public space for studying and programming.
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Under Zimmerman's leadership, she added new programs like Family Film Nights, Children’s Summer Book Club, and educational lectures for adults. In 1959, BPL was one of the first libraries in Central Ohio to offer book delivery for the homebound. 1,534 books were delivered in 1962.
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While the 1970s were a quiet time for the library, the 1980s-2000s ushered in another renovation and technological changes to modernize the library. Under Robert Stafford’s leadership (1981-2009), BPL added Sunday hours, and circulated vinyl records, VHS tapes, compact discs, and polaroid cameras, while also housing one of the largest reference collections in Franklin County. A renovation was completed in 1992 that updated the amenities and modernized the library.
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The 1980s to the 2000s saw great technological change in the library. The first public computers were available in 1984, and the switch from card catalogs to electronic catalogs was complete by 1992.
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BPL underwent a transformation in 2009 when cuts in state library funding led to its first library levy. While it had a large reference section and stately elegance, community members were asking for updated services, like email access and more services for teens. Rachel Rubin was hired as the library director after the levy passed. Both she and her successor, Ben Heckman, worked to update library services, strengthen community partnerships, and make the library more responsive to community needs.
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Ben Heckman became BPL’s current library director in 2017. During his tenure, the library has maintained strong partnerships with the City of Bexley and community groups. By encouraging the open exchange of ideas, his leadership has guided the library to become more inclusive for both staff and patrons.
Serving the youth of the community has been a central part of Bexley Public Library’s mission from the beginning. The library serves children’s lives through all stages of development. As early as 1928, BPL hired a librarian trained in children’s services in order to support early childhood education and offer storytimes. Over the years librarians have helped foster reading habits and interests. R.L Stine, for instance, credits a BPL librarian for helping him discover Ray Bradbury: “Ray Bradbury turned me into a reader, and that librarian really, really, changed my life.”
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BPL has always offered programs and services in addition to books, and they have changed over the years to meet community needs. Each change to the library building has been prompted by the need for more space for activities beyond checking out books, like storytimes, community meetings, and educational programs. The library was the place to register for victory garden plots in the 1940s, rent videos in the 1980s, and attend programs about the eclipses in 2017 and 2024. During the Covid-19 pandemic we adjusted our services to enlighten, engage, and inspire safely. We continue to adjust our services to meet our ever-changing community and world.